Sleepy Hollow Lake, West Virginia, USA

Sleepy Hollow Lake is a sparkling, seven-acre private lake located near the town of Hedgesville in Berkeley County, West Virginia. The lake is an impoundment on the Cherry Run stream which forms the northern section of the boundary between Berkeley and Morgan Counties in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. Access to the lake is limited to property owners and renters who can take full advantage of the peace and solitude offered by the quiet water and beautiful surroundings.

Sleepy Hollow Lake sits in what is called Skinners Gap, an area of lower elevation between two mountains in the North Mountain range. Part of the Appalachians, North Mountain spans 23.5 miles from the Potomac River in the north to the community of Green Spring in Frederick County, Virginia in the south. The area is characterized by beautiful deciduous forests and rugged rockiness. For hikers and wildlife enthusiast visiting or living on the lake, a series of trails run the length of the North Mountain range and provide excellent opportunities for day or weekend hikes.

Vacation rentals on Sleepy Hollow Lake exist in the form of private homes for rent. Real estate for purchase can also be found on and near the lake. Motorboats are not allowed, but swimming, canoeing and kayaking are a great way to enjoy the crystal clear water. Anglers will find healthy populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and channel catfish. Although too shallow for boating, Cherry Run stream provides many pools of varying depths for fishing and swimming. As a tributary of the Potomac River, Cherry Run is part of the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay watersheds.

Sleepy Hollow Lake is centrally located to many of the premiere attractions in the panhandle of West Virginia and the Washington, DC area. Ski resorts, spas, golf courses, the C & O Canal, the Potomac River, Sleepy Creek Forest Reserve and hunting grounds, the town of Berkeley Springs, the Civil War battlefield in Antietam, MD and shopping at prime outlets in Hagerstown, MD, are all within an easy drive of the lake.

For wildlife enthusiasts, Cacapon State Park is just west of Sleepy Hollow Lake and offers 6,000 acres for golfing, lake activities, horseback riding, and hiking along with a first-class lodge. The Park is named for Cacapon Mountain, the highest peak in the eastern portion of the state at 2,300 feet. The mountain divides the landscape, with the park on the eastern slope and the Cacapon River at the base of the western slope. Cacapon comes from a Shawnee Indian word meaning "medicine waters," a reference to the area's mineral waters that have been renowned for their healing powers. These waters come to the surface about 10 miles from Cacapon at nearby Berkeley Springs State Park. The highlight of the park is The Bathhouse which first opened in 1930. Since then, thousands of people have enjoyed the warm mineral waters that flow from the springs at a constant temperature of 74.3 degrees. Be sure to visit the town of Berkeley Springs, a beautiful little community that features a number of antique malls and several specialty shops.

The ridges and valleys surrounding Sleepy Hollow Lake are ideal terrain for both scenic road biking and mountain biking. Easy riding is best enjoyed on the C&O Canal towpath just six miles north of Berkeley Springs along the Potomac River. The towpath ride also takes bikers through the nearly mile-long Paw Paw Tunnel, the largest man-made structure on the canal. Bike rentals are available.

For a peaceful lakefront vacation or summer home, pay a visit to Berkeley County's Sleepy Hollow Lake. The area is blessed with beautiful wooded mountains and ridges, two scenic rivers, several lakes and a wide selection of contemporary recreation activities for individuals and families alike.